I'll admit, I jumped on the Amex bandwagon with the Delta card to get my foot in the door. So I'm reading about Amex policies more and more these days about people being declined at stores or buying something nice and getting a financial review. Then there's the whole "breaking the card in" you have to do when you first get it so that you can show them that you shop at Nordstrom sometimes. Also the story of the guy who used his card to pay a lawyer and got shut down.
I just have to say, I wish I could cuss on these forums because I would say that Amex's policies are horse manure. But I wouldn't say it nicely. My guess is that this Delta card will be used to buy a couple of donuts from time to time and then sit in my drawer. Yes, I should have known better and shouldn't have even applied. Talked to a few people about Amex on the business side and everyone I talk to is like, "Oh I hate Amex." They cite varioius reasons from having their spending limits cut to having to fax all sorts of crap.
Amex as a company can do what they want to do but running a business like a stuffy old miserly grandpa is not really going to make their products last as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure that this company will eventually go the way of Diners Club. When you have your foo foo snout up in the air and don't trust your own customers with the limits YOU GAVE THEM, that's going to make people just not even want to use your card.
Oh yeah they give you great customer service supposedly. Big whoop. So you get a nice rep who tells you you've been declined at your family dinner at Olive Garden because you bought Ravioli when you normally order the Lasagna.... no thanks. I don't mind being watched by a card company for marketing purposes but I don't need some stuffy old company rep breathing down my neck, looking over my shoulder and seeing what I'm buying to judge whether or not they're going to approve me.
Rant over. And I feel better. haha.
to each there own and amex is a beast on its own. i only have the zync and am a 21 year old worker/ student. i usually use my card at costco, bars, and some other stuff.
i havent really bought anyting super nice but you know.
for 6months + ive been good. "knocks on wood"
@creditnocash wrote:to each there own and amex is a beast on its own. i only have the zync and am a 21 year old worker/ student. i usually use my card at costco, bars, and some other stuff.
i havent really bought anyting super nice but you know.
for 6months + ive been good. "kocks on wood"
Just wait until you are on a family vacation and decide to order a Champagne Brunch for you and your honey. "Oh I'm sorry sir, you don't normally order champagne"
I got FRd for a cli. I got mad and closed my two charge cards. Im over it since they approved me for the SPG 
. I use my amex anywhere i would use my other cards. Tomorrow my Amex and I are going to the "club".
If they were to deny a purchase then id use another card right away and move on.
. I use my amex anywhere i would use my other cards. Tomorrow my Amex and I are going to the "club".If they were to deny a purchase then id use another card right away and move on.
Did they actually request anything from you, or lower the credit limit; or are you just saying you don't like their policies? I went through a financial review after I purchased about 2000 worth of stuff and the experience was very bad. It took quite a while to get the cards reactivated, and a few months later they lower a 10800 to 1000 for non use 
.
They really are a "have me and be prestigious" company with not much to offer and treat innocent customers horribly.
Before anyone says that I was in love with them up until the incidents, I was not. I hadn't even had the cards one year when all of this happened. I never really liked them much but they had 3% on groceries, which was the highest around at the time with no fee.
Amex is what it is, financial review should be a regular part of the credit application process, so I can't be mad at them for it. Their credit model is the best since they have the lowest amount of default rates in the credit world. They are generous with credit limits more than any other bank, and they have great customer service, but remember a over protective account is better than a under protective one.
Did you also know that Amex protects it's customers like no other? For instance my friend had his wedding at the Ritz. It was a $50,000 bill. They didn't provide the proper equipment requested, and few people got sick from the food. You know what? Ritz didn't want to take any responsibility. He was able to do a charge back for the full amount.
Amex gives more power to the consumer than it does to a business, not many companies would go out of the way to push for you.
Now, perhaps some of the stories you are citing did occur to people. But, rather than trying it out yourself and finding issues, you are going solely off of hearsay. I'm 2+ months in an haven't received as much as a phone call from Amex. Every purchase has gone through fine, and I intend to ask for a CLI tomorrow (will report more info then). Internet forums have plenty of people who leave out "key" information, such as a collection just showed up on their report as they were requesting a $600 cash advance...hmmm. Plenty of people in real life also leave out "key" information that would probably make you realize that Amex was just doing their job to protect themselves. I tend to discount the stories I hear until they happen to me because I assume that as long as I am a responsible, law abiding, debt paying citizen that my creditors have nothing to worry about, and therefore I have nothing to worry about. But, I respect your opinion and hope that you find another card that fits your needs.
